Punched card operated apparatus



Sept. 8, 1959 H. F. HAN'rHoRN 2,903,529

PUNCHED CARD OPERATED APPARATUS Filed July 22, 1957 2 sheets-'sheet 1 INVENTOR. lYozm'e/Zmm ATTORIVEX Sept 8 1959 H. F. HANTHORN 2,903,529

PUNCHED CARD OPERATED APPARATUS Filed July 22. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hy. Z xo uw i Mh.

ATTORNEY ilI United States Patent O PUNCl-IED CARD OPERATED APPARATUS Horace F. Hanthorn, Woodbury, NJ., asslgnor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application July 22, 1957, Serial No. 673,503

Claims. (Cl. 20046) This invention relates generally to punched card operated apparatus. More particularly, the invention re lates to an improved punched card operated switching apparatus and to an arrangement for conveniently applying the punched cards selectively to the switching apparatus. The punched card operated apparatus of the present invention is particularly useful in electronic tube testing equipment.

In most tube testers, in common use, it is necessary to supply the electrodes of a tube under test with proper operating voltages. To accomplish this, the tester is provided with a number of switches. Each of these switches has to be reset each time a different type of tube is tested. Charts accompanying these tube testers indicate the set tings of the switches for testing each type of tube. Unless each switch is set properly, the indication on the meter of the tube tester, indicating the condition of the tube under test, will be erroneous. In some testers, an improper setting of the switches may cause serious damage to the tube under test. I

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved switching'apparatus, operated by punched cards, that is more accurate, faster, and easier to operate than conventional switches.

It is another object of the present invention to provide improved punched card operated switching apparatus wherein the pattern of punched holes in a punched card determines the electrical circuits to be employed in electrical equipment under a specific condition of operation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement of punched cards with respect to switching apparatus in a manner whereby a particular punched card, held captive in a predetermined order in a stack of punched cards, may be conveniently applied to the switching apparatus.

These objects and related advantages of the present invention are attained in improved punched card operated apparatus of the type useful, for example, in tube testing equipment. The punched card operated apparatus of the present invention will be described and illustrated in connection with a tube tester; but it will be understood that this application of the operation of the present invention is merely illustrative and is not to be construed in a limiting sense.

The punched card operated apparatus of the present invention comprises a switching system wherein circuits on a front printed circuit board are connected to circuits on a rear printed circuit board. The front and real printed circuit boards are disposed parallel to each other, and spaced from each other, with their printed circuit sides facing each other. 'Ihe front and rear printed circuit boards are formed with a plurality of pairs of aligned holes passing through the printed circuit portions of the boards. A separate spring loaded connecting pin is disposed in each of the pairs of aligned holes in a manner to connect a particular printed circuit on the front board with a particular printed circuit on the rear board. An apertured board is disposed in front of, and parallel to, the

2,903,529 Patented Sept. 8, 1959 front board. The apertured board is formed with a plurality of holes aligned with the aforementioned pairs of holes in the front and rear boards. Means are provided to urge the apertured board toward the front board. When a punched card is disposed in the clearance between the apertured board and the front board, and when the apertured board is urged toward the front board, the connecting pins that come in contact with the card will be moved rearwardly in a manner whereby the circuits of the front board in contact with these moved connecting pins will be broken.

An important feature of the present invention is the arrangement of the punched cards with relation to the punched card operated switch. The punched cards are stacked in a desired order within a case, and held captive in the desired order on a rod fixed within the case. The cards are disposed to one side of the rod. Apparatus, such as a tube tester, incorporating the punched card operated switch is disposed to the other side of the rod. A clearance in the switch, adapted to hold the punched card, is disposed transversely to the rod. The switch may be covered with a cover that has a slot therein that is also aligned with the clearance for the card in the switch. When switch operation by a particular card is desired, the card is moved to a position within the plane of the card clearance of the switch, and the card is rotated about the rod, through the slot in the cover, and into the clearance of the switch. An indexing member of the switch, extending through the card clearance thereof, is positioned to engage with an indexing notch in the card for properly aligning the card within the switch.

The novel features of the present invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its organization and method of operation, will be understood in detail from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters represent similar components, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a tube tester employing the.. novel punched card operated switch and illustrating an arrangement of punched cards in relation thereto, in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the novel punch card operated switch of the present invention, taken along the line 2--2 in Fig. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary portion of the front printed circuit board of the punched card operated switch of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the rear printed circuit board of the punched card operated switch of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of a spring loaded connecting pin of the punched card operated switch of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of a fragmentary portion of the punch card operated switch of the present invention in a punched card actuated position;

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of a punched card for use in connection with the punched card operated switch of the present invention; and

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of a fragmentary portion of an apertured plate of the punched card operated switch of the present invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a tube tester 10 employing a punched card operated switch. The tube tester 10 is of the type adapted to test electronic tubes, such as a tube 12, by applying suitable voltages to the electrodes of the tube 12 in a circuit adapted to measure a characteristic of the tube 12, such as the transconductance of the tube 12. Every different tube type under test requires different operating voltages for its electrodes. These voltages are applied to the tube under test by a "ice novel punched card operated switch 14 (Fig. 2). Since the circuitry for testing an electronic tube for transconductance, or for emission, may be conventional, 1t is not considered a part of the present invention and will not be described in detail.

In order to test the tube 12 with the tube tester 10, an appropriate punched card 16, from a stack of cards 18, is moved to a position until its plane is in the plane of a slot 20 in a cover 22, enclosing the tube testing apparatus. An appropriate pattern of punched holes 1n the punched card 16 will cause the correct voltages from a source (not shown) of voltage to be switched to the electrodes of the tube 12 under test when a lever 24 is pulled forwardly.

The manner in which this switching is accompllshed will now be explained. The switch 14 is normally in a non-actuated position as illustrated in Fig. 2. The switch 14 comprises a front printed circuit board 26 disposed vertically to a chassis 29. The front board 26 comprises insulating material such as a phenolic plastic on which electrically conducting printed circuitry 28 (Fig. 3) h as been etched as by photo etching. The front printed circuit board 26 is disposed parallel to a rear printed circuit board 30, and is lixedly spaced therefrom by tubular spacers 32. The rear printed circuit board 30 has electrically conducting printed circuitry 34 (Fig. 4) etched thereon and facing the printed circuitry 28 on the front printed circuit board 26. The printed circuitry 28 and 34 of the boards 26 and 30 may be connected to components of the tube tester through electrical conductors 36 and 40, for example, connected to the printed circuitry 28 and 34, as by solder 38 and 42, respectively, in a manner well known in the art. For example, the conductor 40 connected to one of the printed circuits in the rear board 30 may lead to the power supply, for the purpose of supplying an appropriate voltage to the tube under test. In a similar manner, the wire 36, connected to one circuit of the printed circuitry 28 of the front board 26 may lead to an appropriate electrode in the tube 12 under test. The particular circuits of the printed circuits 28 and 34 on the boards 26 and 30, respectively, are not indicated since they may be conventional circuits and they form no part of the present invention.

The rear printed circuit board 30 is iixed to one or more rear support brackets 44, by any suitable means, as by screws 46 and nuts 48. The bracket 44 is, in turn, secured to the chassis 29 by screws 50.

Means are provided to connect particular printed circuits 28 on the front printed circuit board 26 with particular printed circuits 34 on the rear printed circuit board 30. Thus, for example, a particular voltage from the power supply of the tube tester may be applied to a proper electrode in the tube 12 under test. Each of the printed circuits 28 of the front board 26 is connected to each of the printed circuits 34 of the rear board 30, respectively, by a separate spring-loaded connecting pin 52, shown in Fig. 5.

The front and rear boards 26 and 30 are formed with a plurality of pairs of aligned holes 54 and 56. Each connecting pin 52 comprises a head end 58, a shoulder 60, and a body 62. The head end 58 extends through the hole 54 in the front board 26, and the body 62 extends through the hole 56 in the rear board 30, as shown in Fig. 6.

Means are provided to cause the shoulder 60 of the connecting pin 52 to contact a printed circuit 28 of the board 26, and to contact a printed circuit 34 of the rear board 30. To this end, an eyelet 64 is inserted over the body 62 of the connecting pin 52 and a compression spring 66 is disposed between the shoulder 60 of the pin 52 and the eyelet 64. Thus, it will be understood that each connecting pin 52 electrically connects a printed circuit 28 on the front board 26 with a printed circuit 34 on the rear board 30.

It will be noted that it is only the Shouldf 60 Q the Pin 4 52 that contacts the printed circuit 28 of the front board 26 because the hole 68 (Fig. 3) in the printed circuit 28 is larger than the hole 54 in the board 26.

It is necessary to break certain circuits and to maintain other circuits in testing different tubes. Means are therefore provided to disconnect some of the printed circuitry 28 of the front board 26 from some of the printed circuitry 34 of the rear board 30. To this end, there is provided an apertured board 70, preferrably of insulating material. The apertured board 70 is disposed parallel to, and in front of, the front board 26. The apertured board 70 is fixed to sliding brackets 72 (Fig. 2). The sliding bracket 72 is formed with horizontally disposed elongated slots 74. At least a pair of upright brackets 76, fixed to the chassis 29 by any suitable means, are disposed adjacent to the sliding brackets 72. A guide pin 80 fixed to an upright bracket 76, and projecting through the slot 74 in the sliding bracket 72, guides the bracket 72 along a horizontal path when moved forwardly or rearwardly. A -shaft 82 projects through the slots 74 in the bracket 72. The shaft 82 is journaled in the upright brackets 76 and is connected to the lever 24. An eccentric cam 84 is fixed to the shaft 82, by any suitable means. It will now be understood that if the lever 24 is moved forwardly, that is, toward the front board 26, as shown in Fig. 2, the cam 84 will move against a flange 86 in the bracket 72, and will urge the apertured board 70 toward the head ends 58, of the pins 52, protruding through the holes 54 in the front board 26.

'I'he apertured board 70 is formed with a plurality of holes 88, each of which is aligned with a pair of holes 54 and 56, respectively, in the front and rear boards 26 and 30. Each of the cards 16, in the stack of cards 18, is formed with a plurality of holes representing information as to which switches are to remain closed when the card is inserted in the clearance 90 between the front board 26 and the apertured board 70. The punched holes 92 (Fig. 7) in each of the cards 16 are adapted to be aligned with pairs of holes 54 and 56 in the boards 26 and 30 and with the holes 88 in the apertured board 70. To insure this alignment, the card 16 is formed with an indexing notch 94 in one edge of the card. The card 16 is then inserted within the clearance 90 of the switch 14 so that the notch 94 tits over an indexing member 96. The indexing member 96 may be a rod secured to the bottom of the front board 26, by any suitable means, and projecting into the clearance 90.

The operation of the punched card operated switch 14 will now be described. Let it be assumed that the tube 12 to be tested requires a particular card 16 having an appropriate pattern of holes 92 punched therein. The card 16 is inserted in the clearance 90 through the slot 20 in the cover 22. The card 16 is pressed irmly to insure the indexing notch 94 therein is being positioned over the indexing member 96. The lever 24 is then pulled forward, and the switch 14 is thus actuated, as shown in Fig. 6. Where there is a hole 92 in the card 16, it will be aligned with a hole 88 in the aperture board 70, and the corresponding connecting pin 52 will not be moved, as shown by the upper pin 52 in Fig. 6. Where there is no hole in the card 16, the card 16 will push the head end 58 of the pin 52 rearwardly when the switch 14 is actuated, as shown by the lower pin 52 in Fig. 6. In this position, the shoulder 60 of the pin 52 is pushed away from the printed circuit 28 of the front board 26, and the printed circuit 28 of the front board 26 is electrically disconnected from the printed circuit 34 of the rear board 30. Thus, appropriate circuitry for the testing of any tube 12 may be provided by an appropriatepunched card 16. A spring 98, connected between the guide 80 and the ange 86 on the bracket 72 by any suitable means, will pull the apertured board 70 forwardly when the lever 24 is pushed rearwardly.

Referring now to Fig. l, there is shown an arrange ment of punched cards 16 in a novel relationship to the testing apparatus whereby suitable cards may be used without disturbing the order of the cards, and without any possibility of losing the'cards. Each of the cards 16.is formed with a hole 100 (Fig. 7) adjacent one end thereof. The stack 18 of cards (Fig. 1) is arranged in a desired order and held captive by a rod 102 that passes through the holes 100 in the cards 16. The rod 102 is secured to the walls of a case 104, by any suitable means. The stack 18 of cards is thus disposed within the case 104 to one side of the rod 102. The testing apparatus, comprising the punched card operating switch 14, is disposed to the other side of the rod 102. It will be noted that the slot 20 in the cover 22 is disposed transversely, at substantially right angles, to the rod 102. rIhus, to test a particular tube 12, the stack 18 of cards 16 is examined until the appropriate card 16 is found. The card 16 is then moved along the rod 102 until the plane of the card is aligned with the plane of the slot 20 and the clearance 90 of the switch 14. The card 16 is then rotated about the rod 102 and pushed into the slot 20 of the cover 22, and into the clearance 90 of the switch 14. The card 16 is pushed down to insure the indexing notch 94 is over the indexing member 96. Appropriate circuitry for testing the tube 12 is then obtained by pulling the lever 24 forwardly, as explainedheretofore.

When the tube tester is not in use, means are provided to maintain the stack 18 of cards 16 in a compact secured stack. A sliding clamp plate 106 is adapted to slide along tracks 108, xed to the bottom wall, or base, of the case 104. When the plate 106 is pressed against the stack 18 of cards, it may be locked into position by means of a nut 110 in threaded engagement with the front end of a rod 112. The rea-r end of the rod 112 is secured to the rear wall of the case 104. The nut 110 may be secured against the arms of a U-shaped extension 114 on the upper edge of the plate 106. When the plate 106 is separated from the stack 18 of card 16, the rod 112 may be slid out of the way by an arrangement whereby the rear end of the rod 112 may be made to slide in a slot 114 formed in the rear wall of the case 104. When not in use, the case 104 is adapted to be covered with a cover 116, by any suitable hinged engagement known in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. In a punched card operated switch, a pair of spaced apart printed circuit boards disposed with said printed circuits facing each other, said boards being formed with a plurality of pairs of `aligned holes, a separate connecting pin extending through each of said pairs of holes, each of said connecting/ipins having a shoulder, means disposed between each of said shoulders and one of said boards to cause each of said pins to make electrical contact with a printed circuit on each of said pair of boards, an apertured board formed with a plurality of holes aligned with said pairs of aligned holes respectively, and means to urge said apertured board toward the other of said pair of boards until one of the ends of each of said pins extends into said holes in said apertured board. 2. A switch comprising a pair of spaced apart printed circuit boards disposed parallel to each other with said printed circuits facing each other, said boards being formed with a plurality of pairs of aligned holes, a separate connecting pin extending through each of said pai-rs of holes, each of said connecting pins having a shoulder, means including a spring disposed between each of said shoulders and one of said boards to cause each of said pins to make electrical contact with a printed circuit on each of said pair of printed circuit boards, each of said shoulders making electrical contact with a printed circuit on the other of said boards, an apertured board formed with a plurality of holes aligned with said pairs of aligned holes respectively, means to insert a punched card between said apertured board and the other of said boards, and means to urge said apertured board toward said other of said pairs of boards.

3. A punched card operated switch comprising a pair of substantially parallel boards in spaced apart relationship with respect to each other, electrical conducting material fixed to each of said boards, said boards being formed with a plurality of pairs of aligned holes, a plurality of connecting pins, a separate one of said connecting -pins extending through the holes in each of said pairs of holes, means associated with each pin to cause said pin to'make electrical contact with said electrical conducting materials on each board of said pair of boards in one position of said switch, a third board formed with a plurality of holes each aligned with a separate pair of said pairs of holes respectively, said third board being spaced from one of the ends of said pins whereby a punched card may be inserted between said third board and said ends of said pins, and means to urge said third board towards one of said pairs of boards, in another position of said switch, to move selected ones of said pins axially and to break the electrical contact between selected ones of said electrical conducting materials in accordance withr information on said punched card.

4. In a punched card operated switch, a pair of spaced apart insulating boards formed with a plurality of holes, a third insulating board formed with a plurality of holes each of which is aligned with a separate hole in each of said pair of boards, electrical conducting material on each of said pair of boards, a separate connecting pin extending through each pair of aligned holes in said pair of boards, a shoulder on each of said pins in electrical contact with the electrical conducting material on one of said boards, means including a spring to make electrical contact between said shoulder and said electrical conducting material on the other of said pair of boards, means to dispose a punched card between said third board and said one of said pair of boards whereby the holes in said punched card will be aligned with said aligned holes in said boards, and means to urge said punched card towards said one of said pair of boards whereby said punched card will move some of said pins in a manner to break the electrical contacts between their shoulders and said conducting material on said one of said pair of boards.

5. A switch comprising a front insulating board, a rear insulating board, each of said insulating boards having electrical conducting material xed thereto, means to connect each of said electrical conducting materials in separate circuits, means mounting said boards substantially parallel to each other with said conducting materials facing each other, said boards and said conducting materials being formed with a plurality of pairs of aligned holes, a separate spring loaded pin extending through each of said pairs of aligned holes in said boards and having means to make electrical contact with said conducting materials whereby to connect electrically selected ones of said separate circuits, each of said connecting pins having a head and extending through a separate one of said holes in said front board, an apertured board disposed parallel to, and spaced from, said front board, said apertured board being formed with holes aligned with said pairs of aligned holes respectively, means to position a punched card having at least one hole therein aligned with one of said pairs of aligned holes, and means to move said apertured board toward said front board whereby to push said head ends of said connecting pins that impinge upon said punched card rearwardly and to break the electrical connection between said material on said front board and said connecting pin.

6. A punched card operated switch comprising a front printed circuit board and a rear printed circuit board disposed substantially parallel to, and spaced from, said front printed circuit board with said printed circuits facing each other, said front and rear boards being formed with a. plurality of pairs of holes passing through their printed circuits, a plurality of connecting pins each having a head end, a shoulder, and a body, a separate connecting pin disposed in each of said pairs of holes, said head end of each pin passing through one of said holes in said front board of said pair of holes, and said body of said pin passing through the other of said holes in said rear board of said pair of holes, means including a spring associated with each of said pins to cause each pin to make electrical contact between a printed circuit on said front board and a printed circuit on said rear board, a third board disposed parallel to, and in front of, said front board, said third board being formed with apertures aligned with said pairs of holes respectively, means to position a punched card accurately between said apertured board and said front board so that the punched holes in said punched card are aligned with said pairs of holes in said front and rear boards and said apertures in said apertured board, and means to urge said apertured board towardssaid front board whereby the connecting pins impinging upon said card will be urged rearwardly against the tension of said' spring and will break the electrical contact between their shoulders and said circuits on said front board.

7. In equipment adapted to be operated by punched cards, a base, means supporting a rod extending substantially parallel to said base, a stack of punched cards each formed with a hole adjacent one edge thereof through which said rod passes, said stack of cards being normally disposed to one side of said rod, switching means fixed to said base and disposed to the other side of said rod, and said switching means being formed with a clearance disposed transversely to said rod whereby a selected one of said punched cards may be rotated about said rod and disposed within said clearance.

8. In equipment adapted to be operated by punched cards, a case having a bottom wall, a rod fixed within said case and extending parallel to said bottom wall, a stack of punched cards each formed with a hole adjacent one edge thereof through which said rod passes, said stack of cards being normally disposed within said case to one side of said rod, switching means disposed within said case to the other side of said rod, and said switching means being formed with a clearance disposed transversely to said rod whereby a selected one of said punched cards may be rotated about said rod and disposed within said clearance.

9. In equipment adapted to be operated by punched cards, a case having a bottom wall, a rod xed within said case and extending parallel to said bottom wall, a stack of punched cards each formed with a hole adjacent one edge thereof through which said rod passes, said stack of cards being normally disposed within said case to one side of said rod, switching means disposed within said case to the other side of said rod, said switch-ing means being formed with a clearance disposed transversely to said rod whereby a selected one of said punched cards may be rotated about said rod and disposed within said clearance, said switching means having an indexing member fixed thereto and extending into said clearance, and each of said cards being formed with an indexing notch into which said indexing member fits when said card is disposed within said clearance.

.10, rIn anelectronic tube tester of the type for testing a plurality of tubes by connecting required voltages from a source of voltage to the elements of the tube under test, a case, electrical apparatus within a portion of said case, and the remainder of said case comprising a compartment, a plurality of cards each having a hole adjacent to .one edge thereof stacked within a portion of said compartment, a rod xed to said case and passing through said holes in said cards whereby to hold said cards captive thereon, said electrical apparatus comprising switching means formed with a clearance disposed transversely to said rod, said electrical apparatus having a panel formed with a slot therein aligned with said clearance, and said cards being rotatable about said rod and adapted to be disposed selectively within said slot and said clearance.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,198,503 Morrison Apr. 23, 1940 2,329,491 Sulzer Sept. 14, 1943 2,870,400 Hickok Ian. 20, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 424,714 Italy Aug. 28, 1947 

